COPA Raymond

Born October 13, 1931 at Noe-Le-Minh. Forward to Role. Growth 169, weight 67 kg.
Playing career: "Noe-Le-Mine" (1942-49), Angers (1949-51), Reims (1952-55, 1959-64, 1970), "Transformers" (1956-59), team France (1952-62)
. Awards and achievements: 4-times champion of France (1953, . 55, . 60, . 62), . 2-times champion of Spain (1957, . 58), . 3-times winner Koech (1957, . 58, . 59), . Ketch finalist (1956), . 3rd winner FM-58, . Party FM-54, . best footballer in Europe (1958), . Chevalier Legion of Honor (1970).,

. Paradoxically, the great French footballer Kopa - not native French
. Born and raised it under the name of Roman Kopashevsky. His father, a Polish miner, in the late 20-ies in search of a better life emigrated to the industrial north of France. In the village of Noah-Lie-Mine (Novoshakhtinsk) and was born Raymond Kopa. With a difficult profession miner Roman met another teenager. His father, a miner's son preparing the profession, took Maltz in the face, asked him to unskilled work mucker. Mastering a difficult craft, Roman was about to become disabled - he brushed off the rails truck with coal. Junior Kopashevsky got off relatively easy - at the cost of two phalanges on the index finger of his left hand. With plans for a miner of inheritance of the profession had to leave.

Now all their free time playing football. Raymond lucky. Family Kopashevskih lived next to the stadium the city club of the same name, and school physical education teacher was preparing a training program with a noticeable slant towards football.
. In 11 years of Roman took in the youth team, where he passed all ages step, in 17 years, raised himself to the players performing
. It was a team called the US "Noe Le Minh City was the starting point in the football career Kopa. A year later signed a professional contract with the club "Angers". Long names in France is not in vogue, there appeared Kopa, followed by the name slightly redrew its name - the French Raymond. In "Azhere" Kopa successfully played the position of the far right, and successfully so, that three years later became a player, "Reims" - one of the strongest clubs in that time France. A wise mentor Albert Butt quickly learned that the optimal position Kopa - build it forward. In a short time Kop became a leading player with the club, youth team, and soon the national team of France (debut on Oct. 5, 1952 in a match against the United team of Germany in Paris - 3:1). In 1953, "Reims", with the direct participation of the Kop became a champion of the country, and a year later, Raymond of the France team went to its first world championship. In 1955, "Reims" - once again the champion of France in the 1956 Copa club reached the final of the first Cup of Champions, where "Reims" in the "princes of the park, leading to the move - 2:0, lost in a dramatic fight Real Madrid "- 3:4.
. It was a time when Michel Platini actually soiled diapers
. A little later, when the future star of French national team and Juventus went on foot under the table, Raymond Kopa already considered in France unsurpassed virtuoso of the leather ball.

. In the summer of 1956 Kop became a player "Real" - his game in the final ketch struck by an opponent so that he immediately opened his wallet
. In Madrid, Raymond spent three seasons, finishing each of them winning the Champions Cup, but did not feel complete satisfaction, because playing irregular and not in its usual place. Golden Ball-58 "from the" France Football "European Footballer of Raymond Kopa was absolutely on the right. And soon resumed his partnership with Fontaine when in 1959, Raymond returned home in the Pyrenees. With its unbeatable duo of forwards "Reims" twice more, became the champion of France, but soon Just got a serious injury and finished with football.
Football career ended prematurely and Kopa. After the broken leg he suffered two complex operations. November 11, 1962, he spent his last 45 first leg (18 goals) in the French national team against Hungary in Paris (2:3), in 1963 the world was made for the national team against England. In 1964 was forced to give up football. But not only for reasons of ill health and age, veteran. In 1968, the COPA Board of Directors entered into "Reims", a year later became a member of the Federal Council of the French Football Federation. And suddenly, in autumn 1970 there is the scoop: "Kopa returned to the football!". It was connected with the fact that returning to the elite of French football "Reims" was not enough to rule a professional football. They and began to dig. But wait for new feats from the player who went to the fortieth year. Was at least naive. His short-term returns are limited to several exits on the field.

In the early 70's Cop was elected honorary president of the club "Azher, in 1972 published a book Kopa" My football ". Suffice it has successfully demonstrated their ability and telekommentatorskom career, was playing in the matches veteran French Football. FM-98 Kopa watched from the lodge guests of honor. He represented the national post office - one of the official partners of the organizing committee FM. He was unspeakably happy victory "tricolor", but never tired of stating at the time that if he was with Fontaine reset forty years, the game of the current France team, they would not be spoiled: